Fastening device for folders, envelops, &amp;c.



O. VALASEK.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR FOLDERS, ENVELOPS, Km.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1915.

1,181,269. 4 Patented May 2; 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES;

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0" WASHINGTON. D. c.

0. VALASEK.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR FOLDERS, ENVELOPS, 6L0. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1915.

1,181,269. Patented May2, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Fig !9 1:115 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH $0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

OTAKAR VALASEK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T n a o ICE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR FOLDERS, ENVELOPS, 8w.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed January 25, 1915. Serial No. 4,180.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, O'rAKAR VALASEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fastening Devices for Folders, Envelope, &c., and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to provide advertising folders or circulars and envelops or containers made of comparatively strong stifi material with simple and effective fastening devices produced by simply cutting small peculiarly shaped slits in-the body thereof.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevation of a folder arranged in accordance with the present invention, the folder being in an unfolded or fiat condition; Fig. 2 is a perspective View, on an enlarged scale, of the device shown in Fig. 1, partly folded; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, folded and fastened; Fig. 4 is an end view, looking toward the left from the right hand end of Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views, on an enlarged scale, of the portions of the folder in the vicinity of the fastening means, illustrating the effect of different kinds of stresses on the fastening device; Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are views corresponding, respectively, to Figs. 1, 2, 3, el and 7, illustrating my invention applied to a modified form of folder; Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are views corresponding to Figs. 1, 4; and 7 illustrating the fastening device applied to a still different form of folder; Fig. 16 is an elevation of an envelop or container in a flat unfolded condition and embodying a fastening device arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 17 is a view of the envelop of Fig. 16 folded and fastened; Fig. 18 is a .17 and 18, respectively,

and 2 and the, other perspective view of the folder or envelop in its fastened condition; and Figs. 19, 20 and 21 are views corresponding to Figs. 16,

illustrating a double fastening device as distinguished from the single fastening device shown in the other gures.

Generally speaking, my invention consists in cutting in the paper or other material of which the folder, envelop or container is made, a plurality of peculiarly shaped slits which will produce hooked tines adapted to be slipped past each other and interlock with the body portions of the folder, envelop or container and prevent accidental separation under the various conditions apt to be encountered.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawings, 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent four sections of a card or folder adapted to be folded into a packet comprising two inner sections, 1 and 4, and two outer sections, 2 and 3. In order to prevent the device from unfolding, it is customary to place a sticker or other fastening device over the two edges formed between the sections 1 and 2 and sections 3 and 4:, respectively, when these edges lie side by side as they do in the folded packet. In accordance with my invention, I out two slits, 5 and 6, in the body of the folder, the first being symmetrically disposed with respect to the dividing lin between the sections 1 being symmetrically disposed with respect to the dividing line between the sections 3 and 4, and the two together being symmetrically disposed with respect to some line extending longitudinally of the folder. Each of the slits is made in the form of a C having the free ends curled inwardly. When the device is folded, two oppositely facing tines, 7 and 8, are produced in the tines being 'so positioned that they may be slipped past each other and interlock the members of which they form part together.

Th important feature of the present invention consists in the small inward curl formed in the slit at what is the base of the tine, this producing a small hook, 9, at the base of each of the tines; which hook drops down beside and overlaps the body portion of the section or group of sections with which the tine is interlocked and serving as the barb on a fish hook to prevent the withdrawal of the tine. Since each of the two 0 PETER BEBKEY,

two free edges, these tines is provided with the small hook or barb, neither tine can be withdrawn accidentally after the fastening has been made.

In Fig. 5 the parts are illustrated in their normal interlocked conditions. If now the folder be distorted by forces acting in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 6, the barbs or hooks, 9, will travel to the positions indicated in Fig. 6 after which further relative movement of the members of the folder in the direction of the arrows will be impossible without destroying the folder.

In Figs. 8 to 11 I have illustrated a. folder made of three sections only: there being a slit, 5, associated with the sections 1 and 2, just as in the other form, and a slit, 10, extending inwardly from the lower free edge of the section 3 and corresponding to onehalf of the slit 6 in the first form. Then this folder is folded there is a tine or tongue, 7, of double thickness and a tine or tongue, 11, of single thickness. 1

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 13 to 15 the folder is made of two sections, 12 and 13, and extending inwardly from the free edge of each of these two sections is a slit, 1%, corresponding to the slit 10 in the form illustrated in Figs. 8 to 1:2. \Vhen this device is folded on itself there are two interlocking tines, 15. each of a single thickness of material and provided with a hook or barb 9. g

In Figs. 16 to 18 I have illustrated my invention applied to an envelop in which there is a body section, 16, having end flaps, 17, and top and bottom flaps, 18 and 19. Extending inwardly into the flap 18 from the line, imaginary or otherwise, between the flap 1S and the body member 16 is a curved slit, 20, corresponding to the slits 10 and 14 previously described and having at its inner end the hook or curl, 21. Extending inwardly from the bottom edge of the flap 19 is a slit. corresponding to the slit 20; the two slits being symmetrically disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis. \Vhen the envelop is folded. the slits 20 and 22 provide two hooked or barbed tines, "23, which interlock.

In Figs. 19 to 2-1 I have shown an envelop similar to that illustrated in Figs. 16

disposed to 18 but provided with duplicate fastening devices; there being two slits, 2i and 25, corresponding to the slit :20 in Fig. 16 but disposed on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis and preferably oppositely and there being also two other slits, '26 and 27, corresponding to the slit 22 in Fig. 16, so disposed as to cooperate with the tines formed by the slits 2st and 25 when the envelop is folded. Thus it will be seen from Figs. 20 and 21, the slits 2i and 25 produce the hooked or barbed tines, 28 and 29, which are oppositely disposed and thus secure the filial closing flap, 30, of the envelop very firmly.

I claim:

1. A device made of sheet material having two engaging members, said members having opposed curved slits forming opposed overlapping barbed tines, the barb on each tine being on the under edge and adjacent to the base thereof.

2. A device made of sheet material having two engaging members, one of said menr bers having a curved slit extending inwardly from the edge and. having its inner end curled upon itself so as to produce a tine formed with a barb at the base, and the other of said members having therein a curved slit oppositely disposed to the aforesaid slit and forming a tine complementary to the aforesaid tine and adapted to overlap and interlock with the same.

3. A device made ofsheet material having two engaging members the corresponding free edges of which lie side by side. each of said members having a curved slit extending inwardly from its aforesaid edge to form a tine. the inner end of each of said slits being curled so as to produce a barb at the base of the tine, said slits being oppositely disposed so as to bring the tines in opposed relation to each other and permit them to interlock with the barbs engaging with the body portion of said members.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

OTAKAR VALASEK.

Witnesses:

7M. F. FREUDENRIJIOH, RUTH E. ZETTERVALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washingtom D. 0. 

